Page 6 - Aerotech News and Review 7-17-15

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The head of the Air Force’s F-35 continuously improve the center’s $LU)RUFHSKRWRJUDSKE\0DUOLQ=LPPHUPDQ
Lightning II integration team cited the ability to deliver combat power faster,
Air Force Sustainment Center’s over- with higher quality and at less cost. 0LNH2SHODWKHWK3URSXOVLRQ0DLQWHQDQFH6TXDGURQGLUHFWRUGLVFXVVHVWKHSURFHVVRIPRGLI\LQJD0DULQHVKRUW
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a visit to the center’s headquarters at “We have changed the way the +HDGTXDUWHUV$LU)RUFHGXULQJDYLVLWWRWKH$LU)RUFH6XVWDLQPHQW&HQWHUDQG2NODKRPD&LW\$LU/RJLVWLFV&RPSOH[
Tinker Air Force Base, Okla., July 10. Air Force generates combat power ZKHUHWKHPRGL¿FDWLRQLVSHUIRUPHG
for America,” Levy said. “We have
Maj. Gen. Jeffrey L. Harrigian, the freed ourselves from a culture of ‘this move this weapon system forward,” rines Corps’ engines and aircraft is just GXVWULDOEDVHEHQH¿WVIRUWKH86SDUW-
director of the F-35 Integration Of- is how we have always done it’ and Harrigian said. one of the aspects of the F-35 program ner nations and foreign military sales
¿FH+HDGTXDUWHUV$LU)RUFHVDLGKH embraced the Art of the Possible to that showcases the AFSC’s ability to customers through economies of scale
is impressed by the work being done enhance speed, quality, and safety, Levy added that the work done by JHQHUDWH¿QDQFLDOHI¿FLHQFLHVDQGLQ- and a global sustainment focus.
in AFSC. while reducing life cycle costs.” the OC-ALC and OO-ALC on the Ma-

“I am exceedingly impressed by the Harrigian toured the Oklahoma
people and the work they’re doing to City Air Logistics Center facilities,
support this incredibly important focusing on the F135 Heavy Main-
weapon system for our Air Force and tenance Center and F135 engine test
the nation,” he said. “From an opera- cell, which recently completed engine
tor’s perspective, we don’t often get modifications on 10 Marine Corps
to see the underpinnings of a weapon F135 engines.
system and all that it takes to make it
successful.” In addition to the F-35 depot main-
tenance operations at the Ogden Air
The general, who is responsible Logistics Complex at Hill Air Force
for integrating F-35 activities across Base, Utah, which recently completed
air staff directorates, sister services, WKH¿UVWGHSRWOHYHOVKRUWWDNHRIIDQG
the Joint Program Office and other YHUWLFDOODQGLQJPRGL¿FDWLRQVRQWZR
Defense Department agencies, was F-35Bs for the Marine Corps, the OC-
briefed by AFSC leadership on the ALC performs heavy maintenance on
center’s extensive sustainment and the F135 engine as well as provid-
logistics support programs. ing organic software development
and support. The F-35 program also
“I’ve learned a tremendous amount requires aggressive supply chain sup-
today about all the things the AFSC port.
is doing, not only for the F-35 pro-
gram, but really across the Air Force “Seeing what the team is doing here
at large,” Harrigian said. “And I think from the F135 to the software devel-
we are, as the F-35 program, really opment capabilities, there is a whole
just touching the edges of what the lot of capability out there, particularly
AFSC can provide us. I think there is for the F-35 that I need to be able to
a whole lot more we can tap into.” take back and have that discussion
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During the visit, Lt. Gen. Lee Levy and Navy to make sure corporately
II, the AFSC commander, briefed the we are making the best decisions to
AFSC Way, a program designed to

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NAVAL AIR WARFARE CENTER WEAPONS DIVISION POINT MUGU, Calif. — With 1DY\SKRWRJUDSKV

a screaming growl, the last U.S. Navy EA-6B Prowler banked over the Naval Air Warfare Center Above: 7KHODVW1DY\($%3URZOHUSDVVHVWKH$LU7UDI¿F&RQWURO7RZHUDW1%9&3RLQW0XJX
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Weapons Division’s Electronic Warfare Laboratory at Naval Base Ventura County, Point Mugu, 0LVVLOH3DUNDWHVWDPHQWWRWKHORQJKLVWRU\RI(:UHVHDUFKGHYHORSPHQWWHVWDQGHYDOXDWLRQ
&DOLIFRPSOHWLQJDYLFWRU\ODSDURXQGWKHLQVWDOODWLRQEHIRUHFRPLQJLQIRUD¿QDOODQGLQJ-XQH at Point Mugu, Calif. Above left: 7KHODVW1DY\($%3URZOHUSXOOVYDSRULQD¿QDOÀLJKWÀ\RYHU
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Met by a small crowd of former EA-6B pilots and EW engineers and specialists from NAWCWD,

the Navy’s last Prowler pulled in behind the EW lab, where it will be demilitarized in preparation
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history in EW research, development, test and evaluation.

Dr. Ronald Smiley, director of NAWCWD’s Avionics, Sensors and E*Warfare Department, and
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them for bringing the airframe safely home to Point Mugu.
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“We were just having fun,” said Lt. Brian Thorpe, one of four aviators from Electronic Attack
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The Prowler, a long-range aircraft with advanced electronic countermeasures capabilities, was
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Washington, launching for the last time as the Navy retires the airframe in favor of the EA-18G
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6 Aerotech News and Review July 17, 2015

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